Emily Cutts v. Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (SPR 20180961)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records July 11,2018 SPR181961 Carol A. Szocik Department of Agricultural Resources 25 1 Causeway Street, Suite 500 Boston, MA 021 14-215 1 Dear Ms. Szocik: I have received the petition of Emily Cutts of the Daily Hampshire Gazette appealing the response of the Department of Agricultural Resources (Department) to a request for public records. G. L. c. 66, 5 10A; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Specifically, Ms. Cutts requested to review and/or receive a copy of barn inspection records. Appeals to the Supervisor of Records In Ms. Cutts' June 2 1,201 8 petition to the Supervisor for an appeal of her public records request, Ms. Cutts indicates that she made the public records request through a voicemail. Ms. Cutts is advised that pursuant to the Public Access Regulations, an oral request may not be the basis of an appeal to the Supervisor. 950 CMR 32.08 (I)(c) ("an oral request, while valid as a public records request, shall not be the basis of an appeal under 950 C.M.R. 32.08"). Given that Ms. Cutts made an oral request for public records, not a written request, I decline to opine any further on her petition. Ms. Cutts is further advised that she may memorialize this request in writing and that petitions for an appeal of a subsequent response by a records access officer must be made within ninety (90) calendar days of the date of the response. 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1)(d). Accordingly, this appeal is closed. Sincerely, V Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records cc: Emily Cutts One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 (617) 727-2832. Fax: (617) 727-5914 sec.state.ma.us/pre pre@sec.state.ma.us